


The Princess and Snow

by antistia22



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Castle Black, Drabble, Gen, Season/Series 05
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-08
Updated: 2018-08-08
Packaged: 2019-06-23 20:28:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15614358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/antistia22/pseuds/antistia22
Summary: Shireen's adventures at Castle Black, including a mild infatuation for a certain man with dark eyes and raven curls. May possibly continue this further to have her escape burning at the stake and the consequences and adventures after.





	The Princess and Snow

 

 

 

Shireen couldn’t help her mouth hanging open and eyes bulging from their sockets. Mother constantly chastising her to keep her eyes on the ground. But how could she possibly take her eyes off the massive expanse of ice stretching as far as she could see? And the snow! _So much snow!_ It was enough that she was finally out in fresh air after being confined to her cabin on the ship sailing North on the Narrow Sea. But snow! For the first time in her life ever! Seeing it all at once left her incapable of little else than gawking in wonder. Hardly the proper response of a princess, her Mother’s stern rebukes never failed to remind her.

 

All the stories in all her books had never described the North or the Wall as it really was. Beautiful and mysterious. And dangerous according to everyone she spoke to.

 

Father sailed North to help the Night’s Watch fight the false King beyond the Wall. And a Wildling army. Was the Wall meant to keep them out? Who would build a wall stretching 300 miles just to keep out Wildlings? All 700 feet high along the expanse of an entire continent! Are they not men like all the others in Westeros? Of course, the stories Maester Cressan spun of White Walkers immediately came to mind but those were just that. Scary stories to frighten children. But dragons had once been real, so why should White Walkers be that hard to believe?

 

 Looking up at the dizzying height of the Wall, she wasn’t sure what to believe.

 

They arrived to Castle Black after the long journey by horseback. It was the farthest West into Westeros Shireen had ever been, and the farthest North. And the first time she had ridden a horse to a destination rather than around the yards of Dragonstone. Father had insisted his daughter ride by horseback alone. Besides, no carriage would survive in the Northern snows. If they were to take Winterfell as Father planned, they would need to become accustomed to the harshness of the North.

 

Shireen wondered if it wouldn’t only be the harshness of the weather to become accustomed to. Castle Black seemed worn down. A dreary heaviness weighed down the walls and the shoulders of its men. The Brothers of the Night’s Watch. It didn’t help that all were clothed in black and the snow made the bleakness more pronounced, highlighting the solemn harshness of those who called this place home. And it smelled of soot and charred wood. Ser Davos told her later they had just fought a battle, many had died a few nights prior to their arrival.

 

 A few of Father’s men walked over to steady the horses. A man with black Night’s Watch garb came over after Mother and Shireen had dismounted. She suddenly found herself shy at the sight of him, unsure of what to expect. His dark eyes and head of thick raven curls caught her attention. But there was a kindness to him she could sense as he approached that made her feel warmer in the freezing cold.

 

He addressed them with a gruff voice, “My name is Jon Snow. Allow me to welcome you to Castle Black, your Grace. The acting Lord Commander is currently unavailable to welcome you himself. Though no doubt he would be quick to assure you we will do everything in our ability to see you comfortable here, as much as possible. King Stannis has been informed of your arrival.”

 

“Yes, thank you.” Mother said with her typical frown of disapproval, looking around at the old castle filled with rough looking men.

 

Since Mother seemed to overlook her again, Shireen decided to introduce herself. “My name is Shireen,” she gave her prettiest smile and remembered to add, “of House Baratheon.”

 

Jon smiled as he turned to her, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Lady Shireen. Is this your –“

 

“This is the king's true heir.” Mother interjected sharply, “Shireen will one day sit the Iron Throne and rule the Seven Kingdoms. She is a Princess and will be addressed so, especially of a bastard.”

 

“Apologies, your Grace. And to you, _Princess_ Shireen,” Jon replied.

 

Shireen’s cheek blossomed pink as she ducked her head, realizing he said it in a kind manner not in a mocking tone as she sometimes expected. She always wanted her friends to just call her Shireen.

 

“Come now, child. We must greet your Father the King, we’ve already kept him waiting too long.” Mother gave a pointed glare to Jon before turning on her heel, not even waiting for one of the men to lead the way.

 

Jon Snow bowed in farewell with a polite, “Princess”. A quick curtsy was all she could manage before rushing off after Mother. Glancing back, she smiled shyly at him. He smiled warmly back at her. Shireen bit her lip, barely stopping herself from skipping as she wove her way through the busy yard and walkways to the King’s Tower.

 

And for an odd, mysterious reason she very much wanted Jon Snow to be her friend.

 

 

 


End file.
